Try this Tangy and Delicious Beet Green Sauerkraut

Did you know that beet leaves are edible? A lot of people don’t! Instead of tossing them in the compost, try making these delicious fermented beet greens, similar to cabbage sauerkraut!

Originally published May 2021; this post has been updated.

Most everyone is familiar with sauerkraut made from cabbage, and I’ve combined cabbage and beetroot to make a red sauerkraut. 

Here’s another fun and delicious ferment to try: beet green sauerkraut! This recipe is a great way to use the leaves that many people simply toss to the compost. Go here for more ways to use (not waste!) beet greens.

Let’s Look at Sauerkraut

You have a kitchen scale, right? I find it’s the best way to measure things like greens which can either be loose or packed into a measuring cup. Weighing is the most accurate way to prepare greens.

Ingredients

Beet greens— Use the stalks and leaves, basically everything that’s left after the beets are chopped off!

Salt — Use sea salt, NOT table salt. Table salt often has anti-caking agents that can interfere with the fermentation.

Coriander — Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant so has a similar taste. You can omit this if you aren’t a fan.

How to Make Beet Green Sauerkraut

You’ll need a pound and a half of beet greens. Start by chopping the beet leaves. Chop the stalks the same as you would celery.

To prepare the beet leaves, I rolled several together and sliced them into ribbons, then made a couple of perpendicular cuts across the ribbons. You can also tear the leaves into small pieces.

There’s really not a right way to chop the beet leaves; just make sure they’re a size that makes sense for forking into your mouth! 

Combine the beet greens in a large bowl with the sea salt.

Coriander seed is totally optional, but adding it gives this beet green sauerkraut a nice flavor. 

Use your hands to thoroughly mix the salt and greens, then begin squeezing and pressing the leaves and stalks to release moisture. Do this until the greens seem quite limp.  

Transfer the mixture to a quart-sized jar, pressing it down to remove any air pockets. 

As you press, liquid will be visible and eventually there will be enough liquid to cover the solids. This is what you want — none of the solids should be exposed to air.  

Place a weight on top of the mixture to prevent the solids from floating and allow to sit at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. This will depend a bit on the temperature in your kitchen. 

As the mixture ferments, it may bubble and overflow, so it’s a good idea to set it in a dish to catch liquid. 

As you can see, the color of the fermented product becomes a darker green. It also becomes tangy and flavorful and full of probiotics.

 

FAQs

How do I learn more about fermentation?

If you’re new to fermenting foods at home, this guide to fermentation will answer all of your questions!

What are the benefits of fermentation?

The fermentation process creates bacteria which can make your gut happy!

What’s the best way to let the fermentation process happen?

Room temp is best, and out of direct sunlight. Keep in mind that if you love to make lots of fun goodies, such as sourdough or kombucha or kimchi, you’ll want to keep them all far away from each other in the kitchen. Otherwise the wild yeast or other fermentation can travel to the other jars and ruin them.

 

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